Mitokomo

I have a question about a Japanese T.V. show. I've been watching it
off and on for about a year now. Mitokomo is probably the most
famous period drama on Japanese television. It is very interesting
and I've made several observances. It is obviously set in the Edo
Jidai. They have had 3 or 4 different series of the show, marked by
different actors playing the important roles. Mitokomo himself is
very important. And his importance is what I am trying to figure
out. They pull out his seal at the end of every show and say, "Kono
mon dokoro ga mei ne hairanuka?". Translation something like: Can
your eyes not see this mark? It is the Tokugawa Mon. So is Mitokomo
one of the Tokugawa Shoguns or just a high level retainer? If he is
one of the Tokugawa Shoguns, which one is he?

Brandon

Brandon-
Mito Komon Mitsukuni or Tokugawa Mitsukuni (1628-1700) was Lord of Mito
and a son of one of the ancillary houses of the the Tokugawa Shogun. A
devoted scholar he dedicated himself to the study of Japanese history,
sponsored the writing of the Dai Nihon Shi, and "discovered" Kusunoki
Masashige making him a national hero. His Mito school of history
favored things Japanese over Chinese, Shinto over Buddhism and the
Emperor over the Shogun. The spread of this school of thought laid the
foundations for the national debate that arose when the Americans came
and showed the Bakufu to be lacking in leadership, and thus the Meiji
Restoration.
He may have travelled in cognito ,"as a commoner", once or twice and
that fact has given rise to a series of books which then became a TV
show and there has been a movie as well I believe. The gimmick is that
no commoner could wear or carry the Tokugawa mon, so in the climactic
scenes he whips out his inro to the shock of all, who now see that he
is a Lord and not just some meddling old man...
-t

Thanks Tom,
I knew someone here would have the goods. Next question: Mito Komon
means the "Yellow Gate of Mito" is that why the character is always
dressed in yellow?

Brandon
--- In samuraihistory@yahoogroups.com, Tom Helm
wrote:

> Brandon-
> Mito Komon Mitsukuni or Tokugawa Mitsukuni (1628-1700) was Lord of

Mito

> and a son of one of the ancillary houses of the the Tokugawa

Shogun. A

> devoted scholar he dedicated himself to the study of Japanese

history,

> sponsored the writing of the Dai Nihon Shi, and "discovered"

Kusunoki

> Masashige making him a national hero. His Mito school of history
> favored things Japanese over Chinese, Shinto over Buddhism and the
> Emperor over the Shogun. The spread of this school of thought laid

the

> foundations for the national debate that arose when the Americans

came

> and showed the Bakufu to be lacking in leadership, and thus the

Meiji

> Restoration.
> He may have travelled in cognito ,"as a commoner", once or twice

and

> that fact has given rise to a series of books which then became a

TV

> show and there has been a movie as well I believe. The gimmick is

that

> no commoner could wear or carry the Tokugawa mon, so in the

climactic

> scenes he whips out his inro to the shock of all, who now see that

he

> is a Lord and not just some meddling old man...
> -t

midorinotoradesu wrote:

> I have a question about a Japanese T.V. show. I've been watching it
> off and on for about a year now. Mitokomo is probably the most
> famous period drama on Japanese television.

Ah, "Mito Kômon."

My favorite jidai geki.

> It is very interesting
> and I've made several observances. It is obviously set in the Edo
> Jidai. They have had 3 or 4 different series of the show, marked by
> different actors playing the important roles. Mitokomo himself is
> very important. And his importance is what I am trying to figure
> out. They pull out his seal at the end of every show and say, "Kono
> mon dokoro ga mei ne hairanuka?".

"Kono mondokoro ga me ni hairenu ka? Kochira ni owasu kata wa donata to
kokoroeru? Saki no fuku-shôgun, Mito Mitsukuni-kô ni arawaseru zo!"

> Translation something like: Can
> your eyes not see this mark? It is the Tokugawa Mon. So is Mitokomo
> one of the Tokugawa Shoguns or just a high level retainer? If he is
> one of the Tokugawa Shoguns, which one is he?

As the rest of the line states, "saki no fuku-shôgun" -- the previous vice-shôgun.

He is Mito Mitsuni (Tokugawa Mitsukuni), a grandson of Ieyasu, and head of the
powerful Mito branch of the Tokugawa. He was a scholar, a historian, and quite
the philosopher.

Tony

midorinotoradesu wrote:

> Thanks Tom,
> I knew someone here would have the goods. Next question: Mito Komon
> means the "Yellow Gate of Mito" is that why the character is always
> dressed in yellow?

"Kômon" is the (Japanese pronunciation of the) Chinese title which is the
equivalent of Mitsukuni's court rank -- "Dainagon" or "Great Counselor." The use
of Chinese titles was quite popular in early Tokugawa period, which was infused
with Confucian idealogy.


Tony